Separating Love from Destiny
by AnGeL70
Summary: Takes place after DOA3. After a failed kidnapping, Lei Fang finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a man who may or may not help her. Will he help her find her way home, or will his responsibilities to his clan come first? Hayate x Lei Fang
1. Chapter 1

Separating Love from Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: You know I don't own them and you know who does. So just drop it.  
  
Author's Note: Just so you all know, this is my first fic. And I mean ever! I never show anyone anything I write so just be kind ^-^! NE Ways, this is a Lei-Fang and Hayate centered fic because they are my two fav characters, so if you don't like them together then just don't read this rather than getting angry with me. Read stories with the pairings that you do like, K? Also, I hate Kasumi with a passion so don't expect her to be making any appearances any time soon.  
  
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Chapter 1  
  
It was late, close to midnight. The streets were completely deserted, although not much could be seen through the thick fog anyway. Not even the soft glow of a streetlamp for light. It wasn't the best area in the city as it was overflowing with dealing and prostitution. And this small building was no exception.  
  
It really should have been condemned. The windows were boarded up, the bricks were badly chipped and weather-beaten, and the roof looked ready to cave in at any second. However, all of this was simply a clever cover-up. The men inside were never bothered during their meetings. There were three of them at the present moment, two sitting down and one pacing restlessly.  
  
"Damien, relax man, you're making me nervous," one of them called to his pacing companion. The one called Damien glared at him, then muttered under his breath before sitting.  
  
"She's late, and no one keeps me waiting," he growled. At first glance, anyone could tell that Damien was no good. He had long, black hair pulled back into a greasy ponytail and cold brown eyes. He stood at 6', if not more, and always seemed to have a menacing expression on his face.  
  
"I'm sure she's on her way," one of the men reassured him. He had short, spiky blond hair (obviously bleached) and dull green eyes. He wasn't as tall as Damien, but came close. He rubbed the stubble on his chin nervously as Damien gave him a chilling stare.  
  
"Yeah, Scott's right," the third man said quietly, not really wanting to face Damien's wrath. This third man, the shortest of the three, had shoulder-length auburn hair and deep blue eyes.  
  
"Brad, just shut the hell up," said Damien, resuming his pacing. The other two men just sat in silence. Finally, the squealing of tires could be heard outside. A car door slammed, and the sound of heels was approaching the door.  
  
After a faint knock and the exchange of passwords, Damien opened the door to reveal a beautiful, but cold-looking woman. She had short, white hair that stuck out to the sides at the bottom and ice blue eyes. She was dressed in a long, blue coat, which had a high collar to hide the bottom of her face.  
  
"Christie, you're late," Damien said, motioning for her to sit down.  
  
"I had a prior.engagement. I didn't think you'd mind, considering I agreed to do this even though you haven't told me the assignment yet," she replied, smiling coldly as she sat down on one of the old chairs.  
  
"We heard that you don't care what the assignment is, as long as you get paid," Scott blurted out before thinking. His heart jumped into his throat as Christie looked over at him. Her eyes lingered for a moment before she smiled again.  
  
"Yes, that's true."  
  
"Well, let's get on with it. For this assignment you won't be assassinating anyone. This is just a routine 'kidnap the rich guy's daughter and hold her for ransom'." Damien said, pulling out a folder. Christie rolled her eyes.  
  
"How original," she said, faking a yawn. "Oh well, a job's a job. Who is our target?" Damien pretended to ignore her sarcasm as he opened the folder and pulled out a picture of a young, Chinese woman. She had deep brown eyes and brown hair pulled up into ringed braids on the sides of her head. Christie took the photo, taking in every detail.  
  
"About a year ago, after the third Dead or Alive tournament, this girl's mother, Li Na Sun, married the Chinese billionaire Zhou Xuan Sun. Even though he is only her stepfather, Zhou Xuan cares very much for the girl, like his own," Damien began.  
  
"Her name is Lei Fang, is it not?" Christie interrupted. Scott and Brad exchanged nervous glances. Damien glared.  
  
"Yes, it is," he grumbled.  
  
"I remember reading about the wedding in the paper. They call her the young genius of Tai Chi Quan. A lot of people were amazed that she didn't win the tournament."  
  
"That's not important. The point is, we need you to kidnap her. Her father has a shit load of money and I want some of it!"  
  
"Stepfather," Christie corrected.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"He's her stepfather," she repeated calmly.  
  
"Yeah, apparently she doesn't know who her father is," Scott told Christie. Damien pounded his fist on the table.  
  
"It doesn't matter! Listen, what I need to know is, can you do this?"  
  
"Of course, you forget who you're talking to! I am a professional assassin; I can manage a measly kidnapping. Shit, it's not like I've never had to kidnap someone's rich kid before!" Christie snapped. Then her expression turned more serious. "Now, I'm sure the security is quite tight around her home, considering how important her stepfather is. However, I know that she is still attending college, so that'll be the time to grab her. It'll be easy."  
  
"I hope so. I don't need you going soft on a fellow DOA competitor," Damien hissed. If looks could kill, Damien would be in Hell right now. Christie was giving him the mother of all death-glares.  
  
"I only entered the competition for my assignment to kill Helena Douglas."  
  
"Yet, Miss Helena is still alive, is she not?" Damien smirked.  
  
"The mission was aborted, simple as that," Christie muttered. "Where do you want me to bring her?" Brad handed her a folded piece of paper.  
  
"We have a small shack in the woods. It's not much, but it'll give us a place to hide. These are the directions," he told her.  
  
"Very well." She got up to leave and placed everything into the folder before sticking it in her jacket.  
  
"We'll be waiting," Damien said as she left. He waited until he heard her car disappear before walking over to the closet door. "Did you get all that?" A large man stepped out, wearing camoflague pants and a tight, black t-shirt. A green beret was perched on his short brown hair and dog tags hung loosely from his neck.  
  
"Damien, are you sure it's right to kill her? I mean, she is doing all the dirty work for us," Scott said timidly. Damien ignored him.  
  
"Bayman, I don't want you to kill her. Not yet anyway. Just in case she decides to betray us or something, that's when I need you to step in. You know how woman are with their feelings, even if she is an assassin." Bayman nodded.  
  
"I understand. I will follow her, but it won't be easy. She is a trained professional," Bayman replied in a thick, Russian accent.  
  
"And so are you. I have faith in you. Now go and watch her." And with that, Bayman left, hot on Christie's trail.  
  
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Author: Yeah, I know, it's not a very original beginning. But the plot will begin to take shape in later chapters. The focus isn't going to be on these guys and the whole kidnapping thing. It's hard to explain now, but you'll see. Please review, I need to know if I should continue or just give up now and save everyone a lot of grief. 


	2. Chapter 2

Separating Love from Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: You know I don't own them and you know who does. So just drop it.  
  
Author's Note: Okay, I know the first chap was pretty boring, nothing new, nothing original. But just so you know, the whole kidnapping thing is just to get the story going, the rest will be completely different. By the way, the writing in ( ) are Lei's thoughts.  
  
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Chapter 2  
  
"This is going to be a great day!" exclaimed Lei Fang, a beautiful, young Chinese girl. She was just stepping out the front door and indeed it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the sky was just an endless expanse of blue without a cloud in sight. A warm breeze was blowing and the temperature was just perfect. She sighed happily and hopped into her car, smoothing out her black jeans and putting on her sunglasses. She decided to take the top down as she started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. The wind whipped through her dark brown hair, which she had left in a high ponytail.  
  
Pretty soon she was had arrived at the college she attended. It was really convenient to live so close so that she could still live at home. Even though her mother had remarried, Lei Fang still liked to be close to her because her stepfather was a very important man and therefore very busy. He spent time with them when he could, but sometimes a business trip was unavoidable. Like now, he was halfway across the world. Still, Lei Fang smiled at the thought of all the presents he would be bringing back. She parked the car and gathered up all her things. Two people called her name and waved. She adjusted her violet tank top and ran to catch up with her friends.  
  
She didn't notice the black car parked across the street, the one with the tinted windows. So she certainly didn't see the ice-blue eyes that had been watching her every movement like a hawk.  
  
"Hey, Sarah, Ryan, wait up!" Lei Fang called as her two best friends stopped to wait for her.  
  
"Hi Lei, what's up?" Sarah greeted her. She was a tall girl with bright, orange hair that hung down to her waist and beautiful aqua eyes. She was fair skinned and light freckles were sprinkled across her nose.  
  
"Yeah, you're on time today!" Ryan added with a chuckle. He was shorter than Sarah by a few inches and he had short, black hair and deep, emerald eyes. He was a broad, strong-looking guy, but to all who knew him he was just a big teddy bear. Of course, a teddy bear with the worst sense of humour in the world. And his remark only earned him a playful punch in the shoulder from Lei Fang.  
  
"I'm always on time, thank you very much!"  
  
"Yeah, he knows," Sarah commented. Ryan clutched his arm and began to howl in pain. The girls just rolled their eyes.  
  
"You don't know your own strength Lei! I think my arm is broken! Owwwww!"  
  
"Keep that up and it really will be!" Lei Fang threatened, or tried to.  
  
"You look really cute when you try to be intimidating," chuckled Sarah as Lei Fang broke into a pout. Just then the warning bell rang and the three friends hurried inside.  
  
They all rushed to get seats together as their Anthropology Professor entered the room. He was an extremely old man with loose, spotted skin and large, thick-rimmed glasses. The only bits of hair he had left looked like cotton balls that had been glued above his ears. He cleared his throat loudly in order to get everyone's attention.  
  
"Today we will be continuing the lecture on the daily lives of the ancient Greeks," he began. Lei Fang tried to stay focused but the professor spoke in a complete monotone and pretty soon her mind began to wander as his voice became nothing more than background noise. Plus, it didn't help that Ryan was snoring in the seat next to her. Sarah elbowed him in the ribs in order to wake him up.  
  
"Wha? What's going on? Is class over already?" he mumbled.  
  
"No, now wake your lazy ass up!" Sarah commanded in a whisper.  
  
"But Greeks are boring!" he whined.  
  
"Then why are you even in this class?" Lei Fang asked him.  
  
"Because I thought we were going to learn about the cool stuff from the past," he told them. "Like, the ancient Shinobi clans or something."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? You knew from the program description that the Shinobi are not part of the curriculum!" Sarah hissed at him.  
  
"Well, a guy can hope can't he? Besides, you know, I heard a rumour that there are actually some Shinobi clans around here, like living up in the mountains or something. I figured that they would teach us about them if they lived so close," Ryan explained. Lei Fang paid more attention now. His last statement had caught her interest.  
  
"Ryan, honey, did your mother drop you when you were a child or were you just born that way?" Sarah asked, putting on a sarcastic smile.  
  
"No, it's true!" He insisted.  
  
"There aren't anymore Shinobi clans left! They've all been wiped out!" Sarah told him.  
  
"Uh-huh, and where's your proof?"  
  
"Where's yours?" By now, Lei Fang had stopped paying attention to her friends' argument. Her mind stayed stuck on that one statement.  
  
(A Shinobi clan living in the mountains? That's practically right in my own backyard! I wonder if it could be . . . )  
  
She stopped herself right there. Of course it wasn't him. There were probably lots of Shinobi around the world, he could be anywhere. And why did she care anyway? She hasn't seen him since the third Dead or Alive tournament.  
  
(The tournament . . . Where I had finally defeated . . . Jann Lee.)  
  
She had given him her heart in the second Dead or Alive tournament. She trained so hard, just to be with him. And what did he do with her heart? He threw it away, tossed it aside like it was an old shoe. And his last words to her, "This isn't the place for you." The way he mocked her with those words. They way he made her feel like she was nothing.  
  
But Lei Fang knew she was stronger than that. She wasn't going to let his rejection destroy her. She had picked up the pieces of her broken heart and put it back together again. Only this time, any love she once had for Jann Lee was gone. It was replaced by the determination to beat him in the next tournament. She trained endlessly, day and night. That day came all too soon for Lei Fang but she knew that it was time. "I'll defeat the dragon in you," she had told him. And she did. To everyone's amazement, she defeated the cocky, Chinese man. She was a whole person again, stronger than ever.  
  
Of course, she was beaten in the very next round by Ein, or as he was now called, Hayate. In fact, it didn't even bother her that she had lost. She had done what she came here to do. And when Hayate had beaten her, there was no gloating in his eyes, no degrading last words. He simply helped her up and went on his way.  
  
The man was such a mystery. First, he had entered as a karate instructor, and then he came back a year later as the head of a Shinobi clan, the same clan that Ryu Hayabusa was a part of. Both had captured her interest, as they didn't seem to be fighting for anything for themselves. Both were fighting for something greater and that had inspired her. Jann Lee only wanted power. She couldn't love someone like that. She couldn't tell anyone why there was an attraction in the first place. Even her friends had told her to stay away, that he was no good. But she was a foolish young girl in what she thought was love. Looking back, she knew it wasn't love, just infatuation. She needed someone better, someone honorable and kind. Someone like . . . Hayate.  
  
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Author: Okay, this chapter was mainly supposed to talk about her past and all that and give a look at her everyday life. I wanted people to understand my take on the two games. I never played the first DOA so maybe stuff happened that I'm not aware of. But I'm only using stuff from DOA2 and DOA3. Also, I don't know for sure if Ryu and Hayate are part of the same clan, but I figured that since they're best friends it would make sense. Besides, it works here so let's just pretend that they are. It will pick up soon! I promise! 


	3. Chapter 3

Separating Love from Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: You know I don't own them and you know who does. So just drop it.  
  
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Chapter 3  
  
Christie shifted in her seat. Her butt had fallen asleep from sitting so long in her car, and she was getting hungry. She sighed as she readjusted her binoculars. Christie had been sitting in the college parking lot for several hours now. She had gotten a quick glimpse of the target this morning, but that had been it. She stifled a yawn and ignored the urge to step out of the car for just a minute to stretch. Checking the clock, she noticed it was around 8:00 pm. Classes were all finished for the day. So where was the target now? Had she missed her?  
  
A few minutes later, however, her long wait was rewarded as she spotted Lei Fang heading to her car. Luckily she was alone and the campus grounds were deserted. Christie decided that this was the perfect opportunity and hopped out of the car, not wasting any time as she headed over to Lei Fang.  
  
Lei stretched her arms above her head as she headed to her car. She had been going over some homework with Sarah, who lived on campus and she didn't realize that it had gotten so late. Her mom was definitely gonna let her have it, as dinner was probably close to an hour ago.  
  
"Lei Fang!" Lei turned to see who had called her name. Her eyes widened as she saw the white-haired assassin from the Dead or Alive tournament. What could Christie possibly want with her?  
  
"Christie? Is that you? What are you doing here?" Lei asked, a bit of suspicion creeping into her voice.  
  
"Yes, it's nice to see you again. I just came to offer my congratulations to a fellow DOA competitor. It wasn't an easy tournament and you made it quite far."  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"I'm also sorry that I never got the chance to fight you. However, there's no time for that now. I'm afraid that you need to come with me." Lei Fang quickly dropped into a fighting stance.  
  
"Why should I go anywhere with you? You're a killer!" Christie narrowed her eyes. She had expected this to be difficult but knowing that still didn't make her job any easier.  
  
"I don't have time for this now," Christie said, as she fingered the cuff of her sleeve.  
  
"Well, don't think I'll come quietly!" Lei Fang knew that she would have to fight Christie, as the other woman didn't seem to be leaving anytime soon. So, rather than being caught off-guard, Lei Fang decided to make the first move. She rushed at Christie, trying to stun her with a high kick. Christie dodged but didn't attack. This seemed strange to Lei Fang, but she didn't have too much time to think about it. She quickly turned to land a punch, but Christie moved too quickly.  
  
Christie finally found what she was looking for in her cuff. She had been sure to carry some tranquilizer darts with her to make the capture easier on her. As Lei Fang spun around and tried hit her, she was able to move aside and throw the dart into Lei's neck.  
  
Lei Fang stopped as soon as she felt the prick. Her hand immediately flew to her neck as she pulled out a small dart, no longer than her pinkie.  
  
"What is this?" she demanded.  
  
"Just something to help you sleep," Christie said, smirking. "Small, but powerful. Enough has already been injected into your bloodstream. You should be feeling the effects anytime now." No sooner than Christie had finished that sentence, that Lei Fang's eyes suddenly grew very heavy. Her arms and legs felt like they had been pumped full of lead as she slumped to the ground. She tried her best to fight it, but it was no use. She was asleep in seconds.  
  
Christie walked over and picked her up, throwing the small Chinese girl over one shoulder. Glancing around quickly to make sure there were no witnesses, Christie headed to her car.  
  
*~*~*~*~  
  
Lei Fang awoke a few hours later. Her eyes were hazy as she tried to make out her surroundings. As she tried to lift a hand to rub her aching head, she realized that her hands were bound behind her back. Then the whole encounter with Christie came flooding back. Lei turned and saw Christie sitting beside her. Christie, sensing movement, glanced over at Lei.  
  
"Ah, you're awake." Lei Fang tried to answer, but she was still disoriented from whatever drugs Christie had given her. "I'll bet you are wondering where you are?" Lei Fang managed to nod before glancing around again.  
  
"We're in a car?" she asked groggily.  
  
"Yes, we are heading through the mountains right now to meet with my employers. They hired me to kidnap you now that your family has become so wealthy. It's also about one in the morning." Lei Fang's eyes widened.  
  
"We're in the mountains?" she asked a little more coherently.  
  
"They thought that it would be a good place to hide."  
  
"Christie, why did you agree to do this?"  
  
"Why else? For money." Lei Fang noticed that Christie didn't glance at her this time, but instead kept her eyes on the road. Lei Fang, a little more awake now, decided that she would try to reason with Christie.  
  
"Christie, please just let me go. If it's money you want, I can guarantee you that you will get more of it by returning me to my parents than handing me over to some kidnappers. I know you really don't want to do this." Christie just laughed.  
  
"Why wouldn't I want to do this?"  
  
"It's obviously bothering you."  
  
"You think a measly kidnapping would weigh heavy on my conscience? I'm a professional assassin. I've killed for money. That doesn't bother me in the least, so why should this?"  
  
"Because I think you respect me too much. I don't think it's the kidnapping that bothers you, I think it's the fact that you had to kidnap me." Christie laughed again, but Lei Fang noticed how her grip had tightened on the steering wheel. She knew she was getting somewhere so she pressed on. "You say you've killed many people in your life. So how come you weren't able to kill Helena at the tournament?"  
  
"That mission was aborted. Otherwise I would have without hesitation."  
  
"I'm not so sure you would have. You two were tag partners; you fought together as a team. You respected her as a fellow fighter, as you respected everyone else who had the guts to fight in that tournament."  
  
"You talk as if you know me," Christie said, her voice not quite as confident as it was before.  
  
"Well, I spoke with Helena after the tournament. She said that you told her everything, how you were an assassin sent to kill her. Yet you didn't. The mission wasn't aborted; I just don't think you could have killed her at all. So I know that kidnapping me must really be bothering you. You've been having second thoughts the whole time, haven't you?" Christie suddenly slammed on the brakes and turned to look Lei Fang directly in the eye. Lei was nervous for a moment until she noticed the small smirk on Christie's lips.  
  
"Well, congratulations on being an excellent judge of character," Christie said. Lei Fang smiled.  
  
"Well, psychology is one of my majors."  
  
"Those bastards aren't paying me much anyway," Christie said, as she began to turn the car around.  
  
"So you'll take me home?" Lei Fang asked timidly. Christie didn't answer. Instead, her eyes were glued to the road. "What is it?" Lei Fang asked.  
  
"That car has been following me ever since I got on the road leading into the mountains. I figured they were just heading in the same direction, but they didn't pass me when I stopped." Suddenly, without warning, the car in front of them sped forward, ramming into Christie's car. Christie quickly threw the car into reverse, turned around and began to speed away, the other car right on her tail.  
  
The whole time Lei Fang had been working on the rope around her ankles. As she finally freed herself, she noticed some odd wiring at the bottom of her seat. She pulled it to reveal a small microphone on the end.  
  
"Uh, Christie, is this supposed to be here?" Lei Fang asked nervously. Christie snatched it from her.  
  
"Shit, we've been bugged!" she growled as she snapped the microphone in two. She was having a hard time controlling the car as the vehicle behind her kept slamming into her. Finally, as Christie was driving around a long curve in the road, the car behind her managed to slam into the passengers side, sending the car skidding into the railing.  
  
Christie had been thrown out of the car through her window and Lei Fang was now in the driver's seat. She felt very shaky and her head was pounding, but she was sure that she hadn't broken anything. Christie seemed okay too, although she was very badly cut up. Lei Fang slowly climbed out of the car, glad that they weren't on the edge of a cliff or anything.  
  
"Christie, are you okay?" But Christie wasn't listening. She was staring at the car that had run them off the road. She was shocked as she saw Bayman exit the car.  
  
"You decided to betray us after all. Now I will take the girl to Damien and you will have to be terminated." Lei Fang had never seen Christie look so angry. The normally cool and calm assassin was now fuming, her hands clenched in front of her.  
  
"So you were the one who bugged my car," she growled, stepping back onto the road and turning to face Bayman. He smiled menacingly.  
  
"I was hired to kill you if you decided to change your mind." Christie glared at him.  
  
"Lei Fang, run." she said quietly, not taking her eyes off Bayman. Lei Fang didn't move. She didn't want to leave Christie all alone with Bayman after she had just been in an accident. Lei had seen Bayman fight in the tournament and knew that he was a tough opponent. Christie noticed that Lei Fang was still there and turned to her. "Run. NOW!" This wasn't the time to argue, so Lei Fang turned and ran. She hopped over the railing, and ran into the forest.  
  
As soon as Christie had turned her head to shout at Lei Fang, Bayman attacked. The white-haired woman, already shaken from the car accident and distracted making sure Lei Fang got away, didn't notice until it was too late. His fist connected with her stomach and she fell over, gasping for air. He bent over and grabbed her by the head, pulling her into a kneeling position. In one quick twist, Bayman heard a snap and dropped the now dead assassin at his feet.  
  
Bayman walked over to his car, useless from the collision with Christie's, and reached in for his bag. Inside he had some basic provisions and some weapons. He hid a small dagger in his boot, tucked a small gun inside his orange vest, and threw the small bag over his shoulder. He then headed over to the spot where Lei Fang had disappeared into the forest and started after her.  
  
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Author: Well, hoped you enjoyed that one. I kinda made this chapter up as I went along and that's probably what I'll be doing for the rest of this fic. I'm just really prone to writer's block when it comes to any kind of writing, whether it be a fic or an essay for school. Also, I apologize for my lack of description, it's just that I can't write fight scenes for the life of me -_-;. But yeah, Hayate and Ryu will be making an appearance soon! Reviews are appreciated ^-^! 


	4. Chapter 4

Separating Love from Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: You know I don't own them and you know who does. So just drop it.  
  
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Chapter 4  
  
Lei Fang ran blindly through the forest. She was out in the middle of nowhere, it was too dark to see an inch in front of her face, and her whole body desperately screamed for rest. Still, she ran. She had no idea how Christie was doing and was incredibly tempted to turn back. However, she knew that Christie wouldn't have told her to run if there wasn't a good reason.  
  
Pretty soon, though, as much as she willed it to, her body couldn't take anymore. She slumped to the ground and leaned her back against a thick tree trunk. Her entire body ached from the car crash and she was pretty sure she had sprained an ankle from her recent dash into the forest. Plus, it didn't help that her head was pounding from where she had hit the steering wheel. She reached up to feel her forehead and felt a good-sized lump.  
  
"If Bayman somehow gets past Christie, there's no way I'll be a match for him in this condition," Lei Fang muttered to herself. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but her vision was getting hazy. "Can't fall asleep, he'll get me for sure." Lei decided to just close her eyes for a minute, but NOT fall asleep.  
  
Bayman knelt by a small bush to examine a branch. Just as he thought. Broken. He ran his fingers lightly over the soil and felt a fresh print that had obviously been made by a shoe. He stood up. He was close. Bayman continued through the dark forest, following the trail that Lei Fang had accidently left.  
  
Lei was jerked awake suddenly as a very strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly to her feet.  
  
"Not very smart to fall asleep in a strange place while being pursued," came a mocking voice with a heavy, Russian accent. Lei didn't need to see him to know that it was Bayman.  
  
"What did you do to Christie?" she demanded, or tried to. She was just so weary she barely had the strength to stand. She was worried. If Bayman was here then that meant that he had beaten her . . . or worse.  
  
"She's taking a nap. Permanently," he replied cruelly as he began to drag Lei Fang through the forest, who pathetically tried to fight him off. He laughed at her meager attempts. Lei's eyes widened.  
  
"No . . . " she whispered. She stopped trying to fight him off. Just as Christie had begun to open up to her . . . this asshole killed her! The anger welled up inside her, but her previous struggles had already exhausted what was left of her strength. Her whole body felt heavy and her legs felt like rubber. Bayman, sick of dragging her through the dirt, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.  
  
"There is no use in trying to fight. As long as you co-operate you'll get through this sooner and can be reunited with your parents in no time," Bayman said, not sure if the girl was unconscious or not. All of a sudden, his sharp senses detected movement in the trees. It was very slight and gone in a split second, but he was sure that it wasn't just the wind. He quickened his pace through the forest, following the markers he had left to lead him back to the road.  
  
There it was again, he could feel it passing on either side of him through the treetops. He stopped and placed Lei Fang down on the ground. The he pulled out his gun and crouched in the bushes, his instincts kicking in. He scanned the bases of the trees and the treetops, trying to detect the source. But it seemed to be coming from everywhere. Wait, he could see one of them now.  
  
He couldn't see the man's face as he was wearing a mask, but he was definitely a Shinobi. Bayman had seen similar clothing worn by the man named Ryu Hayabusa at the tournament. Bayman began to sneak towards the man to try to catch him by surprise. Bayman didn't notice the ten others surrounding him, as they made no sound whatsoever.  
  
One of the darkly clad Shinobi crept up behind Bayman and brought his hand down on the back of his neck. Bayman let out a small grunt and fell to the ground. The man signaled to the rest and they parted as their leader stepped through. He surveyed the man on the ground and a look of recognition passed through his emerald eyes. He motioned to the others, who took Bayman away.  
  
Then the Shinobi walked over to the girl on the ground. She seemed to have trouble breathing and was injured. He knelt beside her and rolled her onto her back, propping her up into a sitting position while supporting her back. She was unconscious for the moment. However, the Shinobi knew this girl well and it pained him to see her in this condition.  
  
Lei Fang opened her eyes and could feel strong arms around her. She thought it was Bayman for a second, but the thought disappeared as she noted the tender way she was being held. She looked up into the face of a masked man. It was too dark to distinguish anything about him.  
  
"Who . . . who are . . . " she began, but didn't finish her sentence as she passed out again. The Shinobi carefully lifted her into his arms and carried her deeper into the woods.  
  
*~*~*~*~  
  
"The intruder has been taken care of. We left him by the road were we found two destroyed vehicles and the body of a white-haired woman. Luckily, he never stumbled upon our camp." The leader nodded in approval and dismissed the Shinobi in front of him. As he left, another man came in, his face no longer masked. He had emerald eyes and long, medium brown hair that was tied in a ponytail at the base of his neck. We wore black, sleeveless, ninja-like clothing and a katana on his back. His golden headband secured the black cloth around his head that left his face exposed and he wore some armor across his shoulders.  
  
"I've confirmed the identity of the white-haired woman. It's definitely Christie, the assassin we met at the tournament who had been hired to kill Helena," he told the man in front of him. He had short, reddish brown hair that was held back by a blue headband, yet a few rebellious strands still fell into his golden brown eyes. He wore a white, traditional Shinobi outfit with a tight, yellowish gray top underneath that was partially showing. Both men were well built and muscular, the first was just slightly taller.  
  
"I can't help but find this a little strange, Ryu," the man said to his friend. "We suddenly find three intruders in our forest and they all turn out to be people we know from the third Dead or Alive tournament." Ryu nodded. "By the way, you never told me who the third person was or what you did with them."  
  
"I brought her back here," Ryu said simply. The other man's eyes narrowed.  
  
"You know that for our own safety we must keep the location of this camp a secret! We are hunting my own sister for that very reason!" he said angrily.  
  
"Hayate, it was Lei Fang. And from her injuries, I think she was the victim in all this. If I had left her there, she surely would have died," Ryu told him, knowing full well that he had broken the rules, yet he knew in his heart that what he did was right. He saw Hayate's eyes soften a little, but his tone remained sharp.  
  
"We don't know that. Christie and Bayman are both assassins, they were probably working together. Lei Fang could've been the one to kill Christie," Hayate said. Ryu shook his head.  
  
"Christie's neck was broken. Does that seem like something Lei Fang would do? We both met her; we know that she's not capable of something like that. Besides, a broken neck is an easy sign of Russian Martial Arts, the fighting style that Bayman practices." Hayate remained silent, but did not avert his gaze. Ryu took this as a sign to continue. "Besides, don't you think we should find out what happened? Finding three DOA competitors together in the middle of nowhere with one dead and one severely injured isn't something you see everyday. I think we should hear about what happened directly from Lei Fang."  
  
"I completely understand what you're saying, Ryu. But I have the rest of the clan and our safety to think about," Hayate told him.  
  
"It's alright, she was unconscious when we brought her here. The location is still secret," Ryu told him. "And we can easily blindfold her and lead her out again without risking revealing our whereabouts once she has regained her strength." Hayate almost smiled at his friend. Clearly Ryu had though this out completely.  
  
"Alright then, let's go find out exactly what happened."  
  
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Author: Now I know that the Shinobi and the Hayabusa are two different things, but I really have no other ideas on how to get Ryu into the story, so let's just pretend that they are both part of the same clan with Hayate as the leader. No flaming! I guess Ryu is like the second-in-command. And of course there's no Ayane and no Kasumi. They exist; they're just off somewhere else. It makes sense in my own mind. Oh, and please review, 'cause it helps me move the plot along, and it's also nice to know that people are actually reading the story ^-^! Anything you say will be thoroughly considered! 


	5. Chapter 5

Separating Love from Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: You know I don't own them and you know who does. So just drop it.  
  
Author's Note: Thank so much to Seyi, Momo, blackrose, Hikari Kuu, Blue Viper, Music-Box, Alaryn Drei, Gloob2k, and momoko for reviewing my story so far. I really and truly appreciate it and it's reviewers like you who help make a story great. Thanks again. Oh, btw, I have absolutely nothing against Christie! I really like her character, it's just that killing her made sense to me at the time, plus it'll help the story move along a bit in this chapter as well. So again, Christie is an awesome character, sorry for killing her.  
  
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Chapter 5  
  
Lei Fang awoke with an even worse headache than before. It took her a minute to realize that she was lying on a soft bed.  
  
"What the . . . " she mumbled as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I don't recognize this at all." As far as she could tell, she was in some kind of tent that consisted only of the crudely made bed that she was sitting on. The blankets were soft and very warm though, so she didn't climb out right away. As she reached up to rub her head, she felt some kind of material. "Who bandaged me up? The last thing I remember is Bayman showing up and dragging me through the forest, and then I blacked out." Just then two figures stepped inside. Lei recognized them at once.  
  
"Oh good, you're awake," Ryu said gently as he sat down on the edge of the bed. Hayate remained motionless.  
  
"Ryu? Hayate? What are you doing here? What happened to Bayman? Where am I?" Lei suddenly blurted out all at once. Ryu smiled and patted her shoulder.  
  
"Relax, you're safe here. You're at our camp. We left Bayman by the road and destroyed any trails that you two left that would lead him back here," Ryu explained to her.  
  
"And maybe you could tell us exactly what you were all doing here," Hayate said, a little too coldly. Lei Fang winced slightly at his tone.  
  
"Also, could you tell us how you got these injuries? A strong girl like you usually doesn't pass out from nothing," Ryu said, giving Hayate a brief look over his shoulder.  
  
"Oh, I'm really not that hurt," Lei piped up. "I think it was just the combination of the drugs Christie gave me, the car crash, and then having to run full speed into the woods. It all just kind of wore me out."  
  
"You do have a lump on your head and some scratches. Oh, and this," Ryu added, patting her ankle. She gave a little yelp.  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I think I sprained it when I leapt over the rail to get away. I guess I landed on it funny." Lei Fang laughed silently at herself. She hated feeling this weak. If Jann Lee could see her now . . .  
  
"You still haven't told us why you're here," Hayate interrupted. Lei Fang sighed. He really wasn't going to let this drop.  
  
"Okay, it's like this. I was leaving my campus kind of late because I was doing homework with a friend. And then Christie shows up and says I have to go with her. I tried to fight her, but she drugged me and I was asleep in like, two seconds."  
  
"Do you know what she used?" Ryu asked.  
  
"No, all I can think of is that it was some kind of tranquilizer. She didn't say what. Anyway, I woke up a few hours later and I was in her car. I still felt a little groggy and my feet and wrists were bound. That's when Christie told me that she had been hired to kidnap me so they could hold me for ransom. I was able to convince her to take me home, but that's when she said there was a car that had been following us. It started ramming us and eventually made us skid into the rail."  
  
"And that's where the bump on your head came from?" Ryu asked, concern showing in his eyes. Lei Fang nodded. Hayate remained silent through her story, showing no reaction whatsoever.  
  
"I had been untying the rope on my wrists and ankles when Christie was trying to get away. That's when I noticed the wire under my seat. She said that her car had been bugged which is when the other car ran us off the road. I had been thrown into the drivers seat and hit my head on the steering wheel. Christie had been thrown out of the car completely."  
  
"So I'm guessing that's where Bayman comes in."  
  
"Yeah. He had bugged Christie's car and said that he had to kill her for betraying them. That's when she told me to run. But I was so tired I just needed to rest my eyes for a minute. He caught up with me, though, and that's when he told me-" Lei Fang suddenly stopped and her eyes widened as she remembered what Bayman had said. Ryu knew what she was thinking, but didn't have the heart to say anything. "Do you know what happened to her?" Lei Fang asked them. She looked from one to the other, her eyes slightly filling with tears.  
  
"She was found on the road next to two destroyed cars. Her neck was broken," Hayate replied simply.  
  
"So . . . then it's true . . . " Lei Fang couldn't help it, a few tears trickled down her cheeks. She hadn't known Christie well, but she had gotten through to the seemingly cold-hearted assassin. And Christie had saved her life. "What did you do with her?" she asked, her lip quivering. Ryu tried to console her by patting her on the back.  
  
"We left her there." Hayate informed her. "Where we left Bayman." Lei Fang's eyes suddenly turned angry.  
  
"You WHAT?" she shrieked. Ryu looked a little taken aback by her sudden outburst. Hayate seemed unfazed, but Ryu had seen the shock in his eyes as well. "How could you?!" Lei Fang threw the covers off her and stood up. Her sprained ankle screamed in protest, but she ignored it as she marched right up to Hayate. She barely came up to his shoulders, yet the look in her eyes would've been enough to scare anyone.  
  
"She was not my responsibility," he said, matter-of-factly. Lei Fang couldn't believe her ears. Not his responsibility?!  
  
"You knew her! You fought against her! She was killed trying to help me and you left her body on the road in the middle of nowhere?! What is WRONG with you?!" Lei Fang balled her hands into fists as her whole body shook with anger. She was extremely tempted to slug him. Inside, Hayate couldn't help but be a little surprised. No one had ever spoken to him like that before. Especially not someone who was as cheerful and happy-go-lucky as Lei Fang. For a moment, he actually felt bad.  
  
Ryu stood up and turned Lei Fang to look at him, seeing the hurt in her brown, almond shaped eyes.  
  
"What he means is, we couldn't risk being seen out there. It's Hayates responsibility to make sure that our camp remains a secret from outsiders," Ryu tried to explain without getting her more upset.  
  
"Well, you're doing a bang up job there, o fearless leader! There's already tons of rumors flying around about Shinobi living in the mountains! Even friends of mine were talking about it!" Lei Fang spat out. Hayate really didn't know what to say now, so he simply kept the usual, emotionless look on his face. Ryu looked from Lei Fang to Hayate.  
  
"Lei, would you excuse us? I just want to talk to Hayate for a minute," Ryu said before exiting the tent and motioning for Hayate to follow him.  
  
"And here I thought he was honourable and kind. He's a jackass!" Lei muttered to herself. She suddenly became aware of the pain in her ankle and hobbled back over to the bed, uttering a long string of curses under her breath. A few minutes later, Ryu came back inside. Only this time he was alone.  
  
"I spoke to him, Lei. He's agreed to hold a burial ceremony for Christie. I convinced him that it was the right thing to do," he said, sitting down next to her.  
  
"Thanks Ryu, I mean it." She breathed deeply as she calmed herself down. "It means a lot to me knowing that Christie will at least have a proper burial," Lei said, bowing her head. The anger had faded and she felt sad all over again. She couldn't hold them back any longer as tears streamed from her eyes. Ryu took her into his arms and let her cry.  
  
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Author: This chapter was a little shorter because it was mostly just a recap of what's happened so far. And Hayate isn't really the jerk he seems to be; he just has a lot to worry about as the leader of his clan. He just needs someone to help him soften up. Maybe a certain spunky Chinese girl? N E Ways, make sure to review, K? I've been making this up as I type, so it might not be making sense, so I need you guys to tell me. Plus, I'm running out of ideas, so reviewing will help me figure out more stuff. And it also makes me feel loved ^-^! 


	6. Chapter 6

Separating Love from Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: You know I don't own them and you know who does. So just drop it.  
  
Author's Note: I just want to apologize in advance for the beginning of this chap. I had all these ideas for later in the fic, but I couldn't think of anything to put in for now until I can lead up to the next events. Has that ever happened to anyone? So that's why the beginning here may seem a little vague and rushed, but I hope the rest of the chap is okay.  
  
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Chapter 6  
  
Hayate had sent a few members of his clan to the road to retrieve Christie's body, although he still didn't approve. He was mainly doing this because Ryu had somehow persuaded him to. Plus, although he hated to admit it, he felt the tiniest bit of guilt for doing what he did. He was concerned that Bayman was nowhere to be seen, but Hayate convinced himself that it was because he had gone back to wherever he came from and was not lurking around the forest somewhere looking for them. And if he was, his men would find him easily enough.  
  
The ceremony for Christie was held that night. Hayate noticed how his feeling of guilt grew as he looked over at Lei Fang's tear-stained face, yet he couldn't figure out why. He told himself over and over that what he did was right.  
  
Ryu was the only one she would talk to after that. She avoided Hayate like the plague. Ryu had explained to her that they could take her as far as the road and she could follow it back home. Yet they would have to lead her back blindfolded so that the location of the camp would remain safe.  
  
"And it's not like you're going to get very far on that ankle," Ryu added.  
  
"It already feels better, I could go soon."  
  
"Is that why you need a stick to lean on?" Ryu asked, raising an eyebrow. Lei Fang grinned sheepishly.  
  
"I guess you're right."  
  
*~*~*~*~  
  
A few days later, further out into the forest in a small clearing, Hayate was training fiercely. Using a combination of Karate and Ninjutsu, he kicked and punched at his invisible foe with lightning speed and ferocity. His opponent would have been down for the count ages ago, but there was something, someone, that he just couldn't get out of his mind. For some reason, Lei Fang's reappearance into his life had given growth to some new feelings, feelings that he had never had before. He told himself that he was only thinking about her because of the threat she posed to the security of the clan. A few of the others had already voiced their concerns, but Hayate knew that deep down he didn't have the heart to send her away.  
  
He let out a small laugh as his fists flew soundlessly through the air. The leader of the Shinobi couldn't afford to have a heart. Any small slip-up could lead to the demise of the whole clan. Feelings only got in the way. A leader must do anything, including hunt his own flesh and blood, to keep the secrets of the clan safe. Hayate sighed. There were times when he secretly wished he didn't have such responsibility. His duty weighed heavily on his shoulders and he wasn't sure if he could handle it or one day snap under the pressure.  
  
In fact, Hayate was sure that he wouldn't have been able to hold out this long if it wasn't for Ryu. Having his best friend at his side definitely made things easier. Hayate often thought that Ryu would make a much better leader than he did. Ryu always thought everything out in a clear, logical way. He was an excellent warrior, and he had a kind, open heart for allies, but could turn stone cold before an enemy.  
  
Which was probably why Ryu had brought Lei Fang back here. He couldn't stand the sight of a friend in danger. And in his usual way, he thought of a way to help her without giving away the location of the camp. And although he hadn't admitted to it, Hayate was actually happy to see her again.  
  
Then why had he acted so cold towards her? Because that was Hayate's approach to being a leader. Don't let emotions even enter into it. And since that's what his life revolved around now, that just seemed like the type of guy he always was. No wonder Lei had yelled at him the way she did. She knew him before he became the leader of the clan. She met him when he still thought he was a karate instructor named Ein.  
  
That was back during the second Dead or Alive tournament. There were many beautiful woman there, two of them turning out to be his sisters. Yet Lei Fang had stuck out somehow. He actually met her between matches. She had come over to introduce herself, calling him a 'new face' in the tournament. She seemed so bubbly and energetic, but not in a ditzy way. Of course, he also noticed the infatuation she had with the other Chinese fighter, Jann Lee, who seemed to be her complete opposite. He was rude, egotistical, and despite all her efforts he wouldn't even give her the time of day.  
  
Well, she had showed him in the third Dead or Alive tournament when she defeated him. Hayate found her to be a much stronger person that he ever would have thought. He almost regretted beating her in the next round. Yet, as he helped her up after the match, she didn't seem depressed by her defeat. In fact, her face still glowed with happiness and she seemed to have a permanent smile on her face. She said congratulations, and patted him on the back before he left. That image of her stayed with him through the rest of the tournament.  
  
Hayate shook his head and tried to focus completely on his training. Lei Fang was a distraction, and that's all she was. A beautiful, kind, strong-hearted distraction . . . He shook his head again. Where had that come from?  
  
"There you are," came a voice from behind him. Hayate turned to see Lei Fang standing at the edge of the clearing. He had been so distracted that he hadn't even heard her approach. One look at her told him that she still hadn't completely forgiven him. "Ryu wants to talk to you," she said.  
  
"Then why didn't he come get me?" Hayate asked as he straightened up.  
  
"He's busy and said it would save time if I came to get you." Lei Fang paused a minute to fully take in what was in front of her. Hayate stood before her, wearing only a pair of red, low-cut pants. His chest was lightly covered in beads of sweat that glistened in the sunlight that filtered through the trees. His auburn hair, no longer held back by his headband, fell messily into his eyes. She couldn't believe how extremely well built and good he looked. For a moment, all anger was forgotten as she stared.  
  
"Sending a cripple is going to save time?" This pulled her from her staring contest with his chest as she looked him directly in the eyes and glared. For a moment, as he just stood there and ran a hand through his hair, Lei thought there was something different about his demeanor. He seemed a lot more approachable now, even as he said that last comment. All the harshness was gone from his voice and he actually seemed to be teasing rather than insulting her.  
  
"What do you mean by cripple?" she asked. "Are you calling me weak? Jann Lee tried that and I kicked his ass for it!"  
  
"By all means, I am not calling you weak. I'm just saying that it would have been faster if Ryu had come to get me himself." Lei Fang narrowed her eyes. Her anger had subsided over the last few days, yet she wasn't going to let anyone get away with calling her weak.  
  
"Alright then, I'll show you how weak I am," she said, as she attempted to get into a fighting stance. She still needed to lean slightly on her walking stick, but she was prepared to take him on. Hayate couldn't help it. The mere sight of her wanting to fight him with a sprained ankle made him laugh. Lei's eyes widened. "I have never, ever heard you laugh before!" she said, quite shocked. But what he said next shocked her even more.  
  
"I'm sorry." Lei was speechless. He took her silence as anger. "I know, you're still mad at me, but you must understand that what I did was for the safety of the others. I had nothing against Christie but I have to think of the others first." Lei Fang still didn't speak. "Well, let's just head back," he said, making his way past her. Lei shook herself from her trance and followed him.  
  
Did he just actually apologize? And he did hold that ceremony for Christie. Lei Fang knew right then that she was right about him the first time. He was a kind man who just had a lot on his mind. They walked in silence, yet Lei even noticed how his pace seemed slower. Was he walking slower so that she could keep up with him?  
  
When they returned to the camp, Ryu found Hayate right away.  
  
"We have some 'business' to attend to," Ryu told him, his tone completely serious. Hayate's face changed at once and Lei Fang was immediately reminded of when they had been interrogating her. They two walked off, yet it was at that moment that Lei Fang realized how important the Shinobi were to him. The way he had talked to her before compared to their short conversation in the forest made it seem like he was two completely different people. He wasn't really as cold-hearted as he had seemed, except when his clan was involved.  
  
And he'll always be involved with the Shinobi. Lei Fang wasn't about to accept that, though. She was going to learn more about the real Hayate, and not the callous front he put on. He had been so kind to her at the tournaments. The two had talked like old friends. And of course he was very attractive, no denying that. Of course, why was she so determined? Wasn't she supposed to be mad at him? She obviously wasn't anymore, but there was more to it than that. Who knows? Maybe she was falling for him . . .  
  
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Author: Okay, for those who think that the whole love thing is moving too fast, just remember that they've known each other before this from the second and third tournaments. So this is a kind of rekindling of old feelings. Review please 'cause I'm lost without you guys!!! 


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